Owner Kevin Seymour answers that burning question in an exclusive with Harness Racing Update.

by Adam Hamilton

It is the burning question much of Australia and many from the world have been asking owner Kevin Seymour: Will Down Under pacing sensation Leap To Fame go and take on the world?

Speaking exclusively to Harness Racing Update, Seymour said as tempting as it was on some levels to take Leap To Fame to the U.S., it won’t happen.

Seymour is a hugely successful businessman and features in Australia’s richest 250 list, but he has quelled his burning competitiveness when it comes to the best horse he’s been involved with across more than 50 years in harness racing.

“Don’t worry, there’s a deep-down feeling of ‘Gee, wouldn’t it be good to go to the U.S. and see if he can beat the best in the world,’” Seymour said. “But the head rules the heart on this one and the cons out-weight the pros.”

It’s clear Seymour has thought seriously about it, reaching out to his many contacts, including trainer Ross Croghan for a steer.

Noel Daley is another who has suggested Seymour is better off keeping Leap To Fame Down Under.

“The first thing that struck me is how much awareness there is about Leap To Fame in the U.S.,” Seymour said. “Everybody I’ve had contact with or who has reached out to me tells me he’s big news over there, too.

“Ross [Croghan] emailed after his Miracle Mile win saying he was the talk of racing in the U.S. He said horses don’t perform any better than Leap To Fame did that night. He pleaded with me to leave the horse here. Ross said we’re beating many of the best already and don’t have anything to prove. I was thrilled when he said he was coming [to Australia] to watch Leap To Fame race later in the year.

“Even last week, Noel [Daley] was on the Brisbane radio pretty much saying what Ross did. You’ve got to respect and listen to guys like them, who know the industry here and over there. Noel talked about the risk of transporting him, the potential of him getting sick and the fact we are racing for such good money here [in Australasia] now, it wouldn’t be for the dollars we’d go to the U.S.

“Many people, who have a broader and more learned view of world harness racing, say he’s the best horse in the world right now and that’s enough for us… We don’t need to take him to the other side of the world to prove it.”

Then there’s Seymour’s broader view of what Leap To Fame has and can continue to do for Australian harness racing, along with his broader motto in the game.

“It’s not what the sport can do for us, but what we can do for the sport,” he has often said.

Those are pretty impressive words.

And, in Seymour’s case, they certainly aren’t just words.

“That’s why we’ve taken to places like Cranbourne and Newcastle and Redcliffe up here… to take him to the people,” he said. “I think back to one of the greatest and most loved horses of all-time in Australia, Paleface Adios back in the 1970s. Colin Pike [trainer/driver] used to take him everywhere, into pubs, local events, you name it. He even took him right up to Townsville [far north Queensland] once. He helped make the horse a celebrity.

“In less than a year in the big league, Leap To Fame has already developed a huge following and become a modern-day people’s horse. The number of people from interstate and overseas who have written to us about him is incredible. But it really hit home the other day when Kay [Seymour’s wife] and I were at the local shopping center and several people came up to us asking us about Leap To Fame and saying how much they loved him.

“That gives you a lump in the throat, to think a horse can have that sort of cut-through. I don’t think there are many people in Queensland who wouldn’t know who Leap To Fame is and it has been a long time since we’ve been able to say that about a horse. I think he can spark a real resurgence in harness racing, especially in Queensland.”

This isn’t just Seymour saying it.

Leading Queensland sports writer Ben Dorries said: “Of all the great things Leap To Fame is doing, I think the biggest is how he’s transcending racing. People know Leap To Fame, who may never have watched a race.”

Simply, Seymour believes Leap To Fame can do more for harness racing Down Under by staying here rather than chasing global success.

It revives memories of the debate around former champion throughout mare Winx, who last decade won 36 of her 42 starts, the last 33 in succession, including 25 at the Group 1 level. She banked over $24 million.

Winx is regarded as one of the greatest horse’s full stop Australia has produced.

Many argued both during and after her career that she should’ve gone to race against the world’s best in Europe, Hong Kong or the U.S., but she didn’t.

Instead, she introduced and engaged an enthusiastic army of fans year-after-year as she plundered Australia’s biggest races.

It seems the same debate will rage during and after Leap To Fame’s career.

“I don’t say this lightly, but we don’t need the money,” Seymour said. “Leap To Fame’s success is about enjoyment and doing what we can to help an industry we love.

“It’s a luxury Kay and I have and we’re enjoying it.”

The furthest Leap To Fame will do is “across the ditch” as we call it Down Under, that’s from Australia across to New Zealand.

It is growing more likely by the day that Seymour and trainer/driver Grant Dixon will tackle the iconic New Zealand Cup at Addington Raceway in Christchurch on the second Tuesday in November.

Despite the success of the slot races and iconic events like the Miracle Mile, Inter Dominion and Hunter Cup, the NZ Cup is top of the tree in this part of the world.

It’s the ultimate to Kiwis and a dream for Aussies.

Last year, the New South Wales-trained Swayzee became just the second Aussie-trained winner of the NZ Cup since 1987.

Leap To Fame can make it two in a row this year.

“The NZ Cup is a special race and it’s a very special race day,” Seymour said. “There’s nothing bigger in this part of the world than the NZ Cup.

“It’s two-fold for us. It’s another great chance to take him to the people, a new audience, a harness racing loving audience in NZ. And it’s also important with his stallion career in mind. His future and reputation in NZ would go to a whole new level if he could win their biggest race.”